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Monday, January 2, 2012

I had been to Delhi a week back and now that I am back in Chennai I miss the winter and the vacation. Taking care during winter is cumbersome but it was absolutely cozy too.

Claimer: Most of this post is about food. That is because I love street-food and nice masalas.

I loved Delhi this time in its foggy state.
1. The smell of apples when you walk down the street. The scent is captured by the cold weather and is comfortable.
2. The pani-puri and chaat wala on every street. I had them on all the days and my stomach, surprisingly, did not complain. Of course, we went to the time-tested vendors:)
3. I absolutely loved the look all those vegetables gave me - all green and healthy. I wanted to pack all of them. And those peas were so sweet(literally).
4. Fruit chaat - this is a delicacy. I know this shop owner for the past 10 years minimum. But every year when I go back, he is there - obviously grown a little fat. So has the price - it was Rs 5 when we started and now 25. But worth the price.
5. Chole baturae - waited for the Saturday market to grab this plate. The chilly, carrot, and chole.
6. As if eating outside was not enough. I had been waiting to make a salad out of that red carrot and radish. I cannot make this in Chennai since raw radish kind of stinks and is acidic. But in Delhi, its good.
7. Gobi paratha, Rajma, Chole - yummy. Managed to make the people in house toil for me.

The markets are a world of their own. Walking to that local one and going round and round never bores me. I like the second-hand book stores, the mehendi-walas and colorful dupattas. The winter dressing is at its best - colorful stoles, cute sweaters, knitted socks and topis - dont get to wear them here.

Oh and the smoke that is created as we speak amuses me. I made paati talk for an hour just to observe that. It is most comforting to get into that razaai and get warm gradually and doze off to be woken only with the smell of parathas again. Another option was to take a book to sit in the verandah where a little bit of sunshine pierced through. Me and paati sitting there, talking into the afternoon and falling asleep.